Patents Examined by Joselynn Y Sliteris
  • Patent number: 11975675
    Abstract: An assembly includes a vehicle body including a body side. A front seat and a rear seat are adjacent to the body side. The front seat and the rear seat each include a seat bottom and a seat back that extends upwardly from the seat bottom. A side airbag is mounted to the vehicle body below the seat bottom of the front seat and the rear seat. A tether retractor is mounted to the vehicle body above the seat bottom of the front seat and the seat bottom of the rear seat. A tether extends from the side airbag to the tether retractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, S. M. Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi
  • Patent number: 11970127
    Abstract: A vehicle passenger seat airbag device includes: an airbag main body that is stored on a lower side of an instrument panel and that is partitioned by an upper partition member to a lower chamber that restrains lower limbs of an occupant and an upper chamber that restrains an upper body of the occupant; and a flow straightening cylinder that is provided so as to be passed through the upper partition member inside the airbag main body and that distributes gas ejected from an inflator to the lower chamber and the upper chamber. The flow straightening cylinder is provided such that a sectional shape of at least a region passing through the upper partition member is provided in a flat shape with its longitudinal direction in a vehicle width direction when the flow straightening cylinder expands and deploys due to ejection of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiji Hioda, Toshimitsu Negishi, Kazuma Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11945391
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body including a roof and a pillar. The vehicle includes a track supported by the roof and elongated along a cross-vehicle axis. The vehicle includes a headliner slideable along the track from a stowed position to a deployed position. The headliner in the stowed position extends along the roof and in the deployed position extends along the pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: S. M. Iskander Farooq, Dean M. Jaradi, Mohammad Omar Faruque
  • Patent number: 11939017
    Abstract: A suspension is provided for coupling a front wheel with a chassis of an off-road vehicle. The suspension comprises upper and lower suspension arms that each includes two inboard mounting points to the chassis and one outboard rod-end joint to a spindle assembly coupled with the front wheel. A ball comprising each outboard rod-end joint is fastened by way a bolt between a pair of parallel prongs extending from the spindle assembly. The upper suspension arm is configured to facilitate coupling a strut between the lower suspension arm and the chassis. A steering rod is coupled with the spindle assembly by way of a steering rod-end joint that is disposed forward of a drive axle, thereby decreasing leverage of the front wheel on the steering rod and substantially eliminating bump steer that may occur due to rough terrain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Inventor: Robby Gordon
  • Patent number: 11938887
    Abstract: Problem: To more effectively restrict movement of the airbag in an expanded and deployed state in the event of a vehicle collision, and improve the performance of restraining a passenger using an airbag. Resolution Means: A passenger restraining device of the present invention is provided with an airbag and tensile cloth. The tensile cloth is deployed to the outside of a seat by expansion and deployment of the airbag, and pulled from an upper surface of a seat back portion to a seat cushion portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Saito, Tetsuya Matsushita
  • Patent number: 11932194
    Abstract: An airbag inflator includes a lower pressure vessel supporting an initiator assembly, a booster can centrally mounted in the lower pressure vessel and secured to the initiator assembly, and an energetics canister secured over the booster can such that the energetics canister is positioned radially between the lower pressure vessel and the booster can. An energetics cover encloses a circumferential space between the booster can and the energetics canister. A flow diverter closes the booster can and includes inlet vent openings downstream of the energetics cover. An upper pressure vessel positioned over the flow diverter and engaging the lower pressure vessel includes an exit orifice sealed with a rupturable membrane. A manifold is secured over the upper pressure vessel. The inflator increases combustion efficiency and lowers gaseous effluents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: ARC TECHNOLOGY HOLDING LIMITED
    Inventors: James M. Rose, Brian Thomas, Brad Hight, J. Scott DiGangi, Kenneth J. Young
  • Patent number: 11919470
    Abstract: An airbag arrangement for a vehicle includes a housing, an airbag cushion and a guide arrangement. The housing is mountable to a roof of the vehicle. The airbag cushion is normally stored within the housing and deployable from the housing. The guide arrangement guides the airbag cushion from a stowed position within the housing to a deployed position and includes a continuous cord having a first end attached to a first point on the airbag cushion and a second end attached to a second point on the airbag cushion. The guide arrangement further includes a plurality of mounting member for attachment to the roof. The plurality of mounting members slidably receive the continuous cord, The mounting members and the continuous cord cooperate to fix the airbag cushion in free space upon deployment with only the roof as structural support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventor: Conrad Dumbrique
  • Patent number: 11912230
    Abstract: An assembly includes a seat having a seat bottom that includes a top surface. The assembly includes an airbag supported by the seat and inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag in the inflated position includes a bottom end positioned below the top surface. The assembly includes a pyrotechnic retractor supported by the seat bottom. The assembly includes a tether connected to the bottom end of the airbag and to the pyrotechnic retractor such that actuation of the pyrotechnic retractor retracts the tether and urges the bottom end of the airbag toward the seat bottom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi, S. M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 11912229
    Abstract: A system including an airbag assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. The airbag assembly includes a housing supporting the airbag, an inflation device (“inflator”) in fluid communication with the airbag for inflating the airbag from an uninflated position to an inflated position, a tether fixed to the airbag that helps control the deployment and inflation of the airbag, and a tether lid configured to open in order to release the tether during deployment. The tether lid is installed in a pillar garnish of the vehicle, and is opened in response to the force of the tether as it is pulled by the deploying airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Carlington G. Demetrius, Benjamin M. Oros, Yuichiro Umeda, Akira Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 11904792
    Abstract: Seat centric airbag restraint systems having pelvis restraint features, along with related methods. In some implementations, a first seat-mounted airbag cushion may be deployed along a first side of a vehicle occupant and a second seat-mounted airbag cushion may be deployed along a second side of the vehicle occupant. At least one wrap-around belt engaging at least one of the first and second seat-mounted airbag cushions may be released, either partially or fully, to inhibit forward translation of the vehicle occupant within a vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Autoliv ASP, Inc.
    Inventors: David W. Schneider, Christina Renee Morris
  • Patent number: 11891006
    Abstract: An assembly for a vehicle includes a steering wheel. The assembly includes an airbag inflatable to an inflated position. The airbag has a main chamber supported by the steering wheel. The main chamber in the inflated position has a rear panel facing the steering wheel, an impact panel opposite the rear panel, and an outermost periphery between the impact panel and the rear panel. The airbag includes an extension having a first end and a terminal end. The extension extends from the first end to the terminal end adjacent the rear panel of the main chamber. The first end extends from the outermost periphery and the rear panel and the terminal end is connected to the rear panel. The airbag has an inflation chamber extending from the main chamber to the terminal end through the first end of the extension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Tzu-Chen Weng, Srinivas Reddy Malapati, Zhibing Deng
  • Patent number: 11865996
    Abstract: A restraint system for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle having a roof and a cabin with a seat for the occupant includes an airbag. The airbag has a stored condition within the vehicle seat and is inflatable to deploy laterally in the cabin to a deployed condition in front of the occupant. The airbag is configured to utilize the vehicle seat as a reaction surface for restraining the movement of the airbag in response to occupant penetration into the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: Kurt F. Fischer, Angelo J. Adler, Alexandra E. Smith, Daniel R. Sutherland
  • Patent number: 11858451
    Abstract: An airbag module having a retainer, an airbag cushion affixed to the retainer, an inflator, affixed to the retainer, to inflate the airbag cushion and a vertical restrictor disposed inside the airbag cushion. The vertical restrictor being affixed to the airbag, cushion and to the retainer and configured to limit a distance the airbag cushion travels in a vertical direction during inflation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: William J. Barnes
  • Patent number: 11845392
    Abstract: An assembly includes a roof rail. The assembly includes a vehicle seat having a seatback. The assembly includes an airbag supported by the roof rail. The airbag is inflatable vehicle-inboard from the roof rail to an inflated position. The airbag surrounds the seatback when the airbag is in the inflated position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Omar Faruque, Dean M. Jaradi, S. M. Iskander Farooq
  • Patent number: 11794684
    Abstract: Pair of airbags, a left side tensile cloth and the right side tensile cloth stowed within the seat cushion of the seat, and a lower tensile cloth that connects both ends of the left side tensile cloth and the right side tensile cloth in the inner portion of the seat cushion, wherein the lower tensile cloth is disposed in the center in the left-right direction of the seat cushion and to the front side of center in the front-rear direction of the seat cushion, where the left side tensile cloth and the right side tensile cloth extend to the left and right rearwardly from both the left and right ends of the lower tensile cloth in the inner portion of the cushion, such that the left side tensile cloth and the right side tensile cloth are stretched between the seatback and the seat cushion when the airbag expands and deploys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Inventors: Tetsuya Matsushita, Hiroyuki Saito
  • Patent number: 11772595
    Abstract: An apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a seat in a vehicle having an instrument panel and a housing positioned therein includes an airbag for positioning in the housing and defining an inflatable volume for receiving inflation fluid from an inflator. The airbag includes an occupant-facing panel. A tether extends along a centerline and has a first end connected to a portion of the airbag positioned within the housing and a second end connected to the occupant-facing panel for forming a pocket therein. The second end includes a folded-over portion. Stitching extends through the folded-over portion in a direction extending transverse to the centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: ZF PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS US INC.
    Inventors: David Arturo Meza, Jose Ramon Felix
  • Patent number: 11766986
    Abstract: Disclosed is a far-side airbag. Each section of the far-side airbag introduced in the present specification deploys in a different direction. That is, the far-side airbag introduced in the present specification comprises: a first inflation section that deploys in a reference direction; and a second inflation section that is connected to the first inflation section and deploys in a direction inclined by a set angle from the reference direction. This far-side airbag manufactured in such a configuration sufficiently supports occupants and does not rotate, and can thus safely protect the occupants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Jong-Ki Byun, Tae-Ik Gwon
  • Patent number: 11731576
    Abstract: Problem: To effectively suppress movement toward a collision site of an occupant even when the occupant is seated only in the driver's seat. Resolution Means: a side airbag device 1 provided on a side surface portion on the center side in the width direction of the backrest SB of the seat s of one of the driver's seat Sd and the passenger seat Sn, and is provided with a cushion 2 that constrains movement of the occupant p toward a site where an impact is applied during a collision event. A portion of the inflator 3 is inserted into the cushion 2. The cushion 2 comprises a main chamber 2 a and a sub-chamber 2 b disposed on the base panel 4 b opposite the occupant side base panel 4 a of the main chamber 2 a that is seated by the occupant p seated in the driver seat Sd.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Makoto Fuma, Yuto Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11673527
    Abstract: An airbag for a vehicle is proposed. The airbag includes an inflator configured to generate gas, the airbag cushion connected to the inflator and configured to expand by the gas, and a variable vent provided in a first side of the airbag cushion and configured to control opening and closing state of a vent hole of the variable vent for gas escape from the airbag cushion in response to an operational condition of the airbag cushion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hong Gyu Kim
  • Patent number: 11654852
    Abstract: A side airbag module for being attached to a seat frame (40) is described. Said airbag module has an inflator and at least one mounting stud (14) extending from said inflator. An airbag defining a gas space and being in fluid communication to said inflator is provided and is at least partially rolled and/or folded to an airbag package (20). The airbag package (20) is held by a wrapper (23) encircling at least a part of the airbag package (20). In order to simplify the mounting process of upholstery, at least one additional flexible flap (30) extends from the wrapper (23) and said additional flexible flap (30) has or carries at least one connection means for connecting the flexible flap to the frame (40) of a vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: David Baldreus, Johan Fritzen, Oskar Callerud, Andreas Adolfsson